(note: this happened just after Shuden came out to Torena because he wanted her to know and posted obliquely about it on tumblr)
renarinofbridge4
I’m glad to hear it all went well!
baronshuden
Yeah. I guess that I just kind of assume coming out to people is going to end…badly.
renarinofbridge4
Ah, yes.
I’m very lucky to be related to Jasnah.
baronshuden
And it didn’t, which was good.
renarinofbridge4
That is wonderful.
baronshuden
I mean, my family was all very good about it. And most of the people who have stayed my friends. But the rest of the court…not so much, really.
renarinofbridge4
I’ve noticed that when a court disapproves of you, you’re doing something right.
It doesn’t make it easier to handle their disapproval, though.
baronshuden
I was twelve, it was. an experience. But it all ended up fine, so there’s that.
renarinofbridge4
I can’t imagine being that brave at twelve.
baronshuden
It wasn’t really very brave, I don’t think. I mean, maybe it seems that way, but I don’t think so.
renarinofbridge4
Being open about something when you know it will make people hate you is the bravest thing I can think of.
You were brave enough for that and only a child.
baronshuden
Well, I didn’t really know that as many people would hate me as ended up hating me. So I was more misinformed than anything.
renarinofbridge4
You can’t tell me you weren’t frightened.
baronshuden
I mean, I knew Iadon would hate me, but he didn’t like our family in the first place, and I knew Eton would, but there was literally no difference there because it was Eton. And anyway, at the time I had my parents to protect me. But it was frightening, yes.
renarinofbridge4
You’re brave.
baronshuden
I mean, I guess.
renarinofbridge4
You are.
baronshuden
I just…I guess I just don’t think about it like that. It wasn’t about being brave, it was just about being really annoyed that everyone wanted me to wear dresses and act like a girl when I wasn’t.
renarinofbridge4
It’s easier to go along with them, though.
Of all people, I know that.
baronshuden
I just couldn’t stand it anymore, is what I remember.
renarinofbridge4
That doesn’t mean you aren’t brave.
baronshuden
I suppose not.
renarinofbridge4
Again, I’m glad it all went well for you.
baronshuden
It did, eventually. I mean. There were ups and downs, of course, but today went well. Which is all I could really ask for.
xxthemadprincexx
Who is torena?
Is she your girlfriend?
baronshuden
Torena’s a friend, and none of your business.
xxthemadprincexx
Oh no. have you tried giving her grass?
baronshuden
Why would I? From your example, I can see it doesn’t work very well.
xxthemadprincexx
But I was doing it wrong. I gave it to someone not my gender.
baronshuden
Torena and I are not the same gender.
xxthemadprincexx
Oh! Is she actually left gendered? I didn’t know…
What a shame.
You should give her some marigolds then.
baronshuden
Torena is a woman, I am a man, left is not a gender, and I’m not even courting her.
xxthemadprincexx
Great i’ll court Torena then if le’s free. I’m sure le will like MY marigolds. I hope sarene dosnt mind me cheating on her though.
xxthemadprincexx
Serana is my wife though so she has to do what I say
baronshuden
Marriage doesn’t mean your wife has to do what you say, you and Sarene aren’t married, and you are NOT courting Torena.
xxthemadprincexx
If we’re not married how come we had a wedding?
baronshuden
You didn’t.
xxthemadprincexx
Uuuh yes we did. I was there, I remember it.
Don’t be jelous just because I am more married than you are.
baronshuden
First of all, I think Sarene would disagree with you. Second of all, I don’t even want to be married yet.
xxthemadprincexx
Well you are missing out because being married is great let me tell you.
baronshuden
You’re not married, and this conversation is going nowhere. Goodbye.
xxthemadprincexx
But its fine! because if I’m married to serane and courting torena but raoden is still dating sarena then that mean he still needs to marry someone. Which can be you!!
xxthemadprincexx
And then we can be brothers in law
baronshuden
Absolutely not, on multiple levels.
xxthemadprincexx
But if we are brothers then we can do brother stuff. Like windowledging and and stones and fire.
baronshuden
That is not normal brother stuff, and we’re not going to be brothers.
xxthemadprincexx
>:(
xxthemadprincexx
You WILL marry raoden and you WILL be my brother.
Because I am your king and I demand it.
baronshuden
Raoden is my king.
xxthemadprincexx
No he is your husband.
baronshuden
No, he isn’t. He’s my king and my best friend, but he’s not my husband.
xxthemadprincexx
Your best kingsband?
baronshuden
No.
xxthemadprincexx
Yes.
baronshuden
No. He’s not my husband, although I’m glad you seem to have acknowledged that he is king.
xxthemadprincexx
He’s not a king he’s just your kingsband.
xxthemadprincexx
What’s that thing people do when they put together names?
baronshuden
He’s not my ‘kingsband’. He’s the king of Arelon and is also dating Sarene, who you are not married to. I’m not married to or dating anyone, and you are /not/ courting Torena. This conversation is over.
xxthemadprincexx
Raoshu!
Yes I need to go fight my brother now anyway.
After Ati did this: http://hero-of-harmony.tumblr.com/post/138581555202
raondxr
…so, hot chocolate or vodka tonight?
baronshuden
Either? Both?
/something/ at least
raondxr
Both sounds kinda gross but I admire your courage. Let’s try it out.
I’ll be there in a bit!
baronshuden
It sounds considerably less gross than, well, /that/.
raondxr
Yyyyyyeah, I’m sorry you had to see that
baronshuden
Well your favorite professor just messaged me to apologize for him, so we’re back to me wondering how surreal my life has gotten
Wait, if /she’s/ a shard
and /he’s/ her brother
has a god been badly hitting on me for months
Skai says hi to Shuden (concurrent with Shuden and Raoden yelling about shards)
(note: during this conversation both Shuden and Skai make vague posts in which they freak out.)
lower-than-you
hello
baronshuden
Hello–I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Shuden of Arelon.
lower-than-you
no, we have not met, but i thought it would perhaps be interesting to say hello. i’m… skai. i’m skai.
baronshuden
Well, nice to meet you!
lower-than-you
you as well! …is… is your homeland pretty? is it nice?
baronshuden
Ah, well, that’s a somewhat complicated question–I was born in Jindo, but raised mostly in Arelon. Fortunately, both are beautiful, which makes answering the question easier. Arelon is wonderful, although it’s…significantly improved since its recent change in leadership. As for Jindo…well. It’s somewhat complicated.
lower-than-you
oh? how is it complicated? are bad things happening…?
baronshuden
…In order to avoid devastating war, the country kind of…surrendered and was subsumed into the Fjordell Empire.
baronshuden
And given that Fjorden and Arelon are ideologically opposed, it puts me in a rather awkward position.
lower-than-you
…the fjordell empire… they … they justify their actions via shu-dereth, correct?
baronshuden
Yeah, but…well, Sarene knows more about this than I do. She gets very fired up about this…Anyway, it’s been a while since I was back to Jindo, although I can visit my aunt there occasionally.
lower-than-you
i. i see i am very sorry that that has happened to the land in which you were born very, very sorry
baronshuden
It’s…well, it’s fine. I don’t think about it that much–I’ve got enough to worry about in Arelon. And at least it wasn’t violent, like what happened to Duladel.
lower-than-you
…i see
lower-than-you
i am also sorry to hear that happened… although i believe i already knew just… much has happened.
baronshuden
That’s for sure. You’re not from Sel, then? But you know Aons…
lower-than-you
i am originally from yolen
baronshuden
Ah, okay.
baronshuden
In any case, both areas are beautiful–although Arelon has the ocean, which does give it somewhat of an advantage in my opinion.
lower-than-you
i love the ocean …although also much else in the way of landscapes, i must say
baronshuden
Arelon has some of the best of everything–between two mountain ranges, and it has the ocean. Well, I’m biased, I suppose.
lower-than-you
…ah, that is nice to hear. it is always good to care for the land you live on
baronshuden
True, I suppose.
lower-than-you
on another note… are you enjoying your classes here?
baronshuden
I am, actually. Well, other than the one at 6.30 in the morning…taught by one of the most irritating human beings I have ever had the misfortune to meet. And including one of the others in the class. But, well, you can’t have all good classes.
lower-than-you
…that irritating human being is torol sadeas, correct? i have heard of him
baronshuden
…That would be him. I’ll bet everyone on campus has heard of him.
lower-than-you
i am not even on campus and i have heard of him
baronshuden
His notoriety spreads quickly… Well, other than that my classes are good.
lower-than-you
good!
baronshuden
And Sarene–a friend of mine–is in some of them, which is always…enlightening? Entertaining? She has very strong opinions and will talk back to professors, so.
lower-than-you
that sounds good as well!
baronshuden
…Are you alright, by the way?
lower-than-you
…i am a good deal more so, this … what, two weeks? … than i have been in a. a long while.
baronshuden
Well, that’s good, I suppose. Also, Raoden just told me that you and Professor Aona are married? I don’t really know her that much in person but Raoden loves her class, so…
lower-than-you
yes, we are
baronshuden
Are you talking with him as well? I apologize for however incoherent he’s being–he says he’s slept within 24 hours but I’m not sure I believe him.
lower-than-you
i am, and… oh. i am sorry to hear he hasn’t been getting much sleep
baronshuden
It’s just the way he is… Well, I wish he weren’t that way, but…if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be Raoden, I guess.
lower-than-you
mm… i can see that
baronshuden
…and now he’s glowing. Huh.
lower-than-you
…oh well. i think that’s good.
baronshuden
He does that sometimes, it’s just taken me a little to get used to. He’s Elantrian, so…it happens. It’s good! It’s like…the equivalent of blushing, from what I can tell
lower-than-you
yes, that is true of elantrians
baronshuden
…this might be a strange question, but would you happen to be, well… an… ex-Shard? Former Shard? I’m sorry, I don’t know the terminology.
lower-than-you
…i am
baronshuden
Oh, alright.
lower-than-you
as i said, i am… very sorry about shu-dereth.
baronshuden
It’s…well. It’s fine.
baronshuden
…that probably sounds like a platitude, doesn’t it.
lower-than-you
….no, i don’t think it is i don’t think it is fine
baronshuden
Well, that’s…probably true. I’m sorry people did things like that in…your name? A name like your name? I’m sorry I’m not quite sure how the specifics of this all work. Or…even the general points, if I’m being honest
lower-than-you
…it wasn’t entirely without my knowledge. i. well.
lower-than-you
i … i wasn’t exactly me instead i was sort of…. this thing called Dominion and the concept Dominion… was all i was not at first. at first i was still at least a little me but… eventually… i made them worship me. i made that religion the way it was. that was my fault. i am why Jindo was taken over.
lower-than-you
(and about your post… i am also sorry for that. i… didn’t mention it for that reason but. i guess… it wasn’t so hard to figure out)
baronshuden
To be honest the post would have happened the moment I looked at Professor Aona’s blog and saw that she used to be a shard and I’ll get to the rest of what you said but right now I’m not sure I’d be coherent enough to respond sorry
(this happened concurrently with each of them talking to Skai while not knowing who Skai is.)
baronshuden
Are you awake over there? Your eyes are unfocusing and your marshmallows are almost gone.
raondxr
I haven’t been awake for even a whole day yet, I’m good. I’m just…trying to focus but I can’t? That sure makes it hard to cause a good first impression on professor Aona’s husband…
baronshuden
Huh, he’s professor Aona’s husband?
raondxr
Yeah, she mentions him every 25 minutes in her class…
baronshuden
Wait, isn’t Professor Aona a Shard?
raondxr
…holy shit.
baronshuden
So is Skai a shard as well? Probably, I’d guess…well, that explains why he said he was “originally” from Yolen…
raondxr
He’s mentioned Dominion in his answers sometime, too, right?
Shuden.
SHUDEN.
baronshuden
i know
I KNOW
raondxr
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW BIG THIS IS.
baronshuden
I REALIZE HOW BIG THIS IS, RAODEN
He just said he’s a shard…he /was/ a shard?…so, there’s that.
raondxr
I’m hyperventilation oh Merciful Domi this moment came too s-wait just a second
baronshuden
what?
raondxr
…does that…make him Domi?
baronshuden
…holy shit, does it?
…I don’t even /believe/ in Domi what is this
…well, if He exists does it matter if I–
raondxr
I’m not ready I’M SO NOT READY
baronshuden
do you have more hot chocolate I need more to cope with a faith crisis at this hour of the night
raondxr
I’M GONNA MAKE MORE
baronshuden
YOU’RE A LIFESAVER, RAODEN
…he’s apologizing for Shu-Dereth
wait
wait is he Jaddeth or Domi
raondxr
…he sure doesn’t sound like Jaddeth.
Although if we go for the “Shard=God in the variants of the Shu-Keseg” that would make professor Aona Jaddeth if he’s Domi?
baronshuden
From what you’ve told me and I’ve seen, she sounds /even less/ like Jaddeth
raondxr
We’re gonna need A LOT of hot chocolate.
baronshuden
yeah
baronshuden
Could it be like…Well. According to Keshu there was one god? So could it just have been that one of them–or both of them–was that god and things…got out of hand from there?
Raoden?
This is really weird
raondxr
I…maybe?? It would kind of make sense?
baronshuden
I guess? But wow, I don’t know
raondxr
I feel like I’m having my first trip ever this is…slightly overwhelming
baronshuden
I mean objectively speaking, Dominion sounds more in line with Shu-Dereth’s goals and Devotion sounds more like Shu-Korath
But also, Skai /really/ doesn’t seem like he could have inspired Jaddeth
baronshuden
…but niether does Professor Aona
but Jaddeth can’t have come out of nowhere, right?
raondxr
I wouldn’t doubt that he did? Although that may be because of my little personal bias
…should we ask? Not now, but…at some point?
baronshuden
Probably? I mean
He did apologize for Shu-Dereth
which would point to him being Jaddeth
but…
I think we’re in a bit over our heads
raondxr
We should calm down first…yeah, calm down is good. If we’re going to think it’s best to do it in a normal and stable state of mind I’M GONNA ASK IEN IF HE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THAT
baronshuden
That’s a good idea why didn’t we think of that before
raondxr
Because we were freaking out probably
baronshuden
I’m not sure I’m done freaking out
Or
I’ve moved so far past it that I’m not anymore
…I think I’m trying to reassure a god that shu-dereth wasn’t his fault
Could not fight, should not fight (first of all if I fought you Sarene would probably injure me, second of all you know how I fight and can make Aons so you'd win, and third, why would I?)
That sounds fair enough! Although I have to say your chances of winning are as high as mine! :)
